Yamaha targets 1.2 million units sales by 2017

Cheni, April 17: Japanese two-wheeler-maker Yamaha targets sales of 800,000 units in 2015 and touch 1.2 million units by 2017 and would iugurate its plant here next month, said a senior official here on Friday. “We are targeting to sell 800,000 units this year. For 2016, the target is one million units and for 2017 it is 1.2 million units. Since 2008 we are following a top-down approach (focussing on the premium segment first and going down towards mass market),” Roy Kurian, vice president - marketing and sales at Yamaha Motor India Sales told reporters. According to him, the company is now focussing on the executive segment in the motorcycle segment with its new model 125cc Saluto priced at Rs.52,000. The company launched the new model here. Kurian, however, declined to give any time-frame when queried about the company entering the mass market motorcycle — 100-110cc — segment.

Yamaha Motor India Sales is also looking at expanding its distribution network mainly in rural areas, said Masaki Asano, maging director.

The company currently has around 400 dealers and the number would be increased by 150 outlets by the end of this year, Kurian added. According to Kurian, the two-wheeler industry is expected to touch a total volume of 17 million units this year out of which the executive motorcycle segment would be around two million units. (ians)